Detective Seeking Flan Info

POSTED BY: lexigeek
UPDATED: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 20:06
VIEWED: 8538
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LEXIGEEK

Monday, December 18, 2006 10:40 PM

I have been contacted by Bon Stewart, a detective with the Ashland, Ore. Police Department. He is looking into the Flanvention cancellation as a possible criminal matter. Det. Stewart is trying to compile a list of everyone who lost money to Booster Events. I told him I'm not comfortable providing other people's names, but that I would ask around on his behalf.

If you would like to provide your information to him, his e-mail address (which he has allowed me to share) is bon@ashland.or.us.

DIETCOKE

Monday, December 18, 2006 10:56 PM

Have you called the police department to see if he is legit? If he is, you should post this on the OB and any other boards you know.

NY/NJ/CT Browncoats: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/firefly_nyc

LEXIGEEK

Monday, December 18, 2006 11:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dietcoke:
Have you called the police department to see if he is legit? If he is, you should post this on the OB and any other boards you know.

NY/NJ/CT Browncoats: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/firefly_nyc

Yeah, I verified he's legit. (See http://www.ashland.or.us/StaffDirectory.asp).

I've x-posted on the OB, Flanvention Helpline and the Backup Bash board.

EMBERS

Monday, December 18, 2006 11:25 PM

huge thanks to lexigeek for getting this contact information out to everyone...
I hope it IS getting to everyone
has anyone posted it to the Booster forum?
er...is the Booster board still up?

visit: http://weekinwhedon.org/wiw/

STOWEAWAY

Tuesday, December 19, 2006 1:48 AM

BUMP

SHINYTRINKET

Tuesday, December 19, 2006 3:01 PM

Thanks, Lexigeek, I'll send info. immediately!

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ASARIAN

Tuesday, December 19, 2006 3:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ShinyTrinket:

Thanks, Lexigeek, I'll send info. immediately!

Just because the email address appears legit, don't necessarily mean the caller is. Just sayin', is all.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

LEXIGEEK

Tuesday, December 19, 2006 3:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
Just because the email address appears legit, don't necessarily mean the caller is. Just sayin', is all.

Agreed, but I've actually been speaking with Det. Stewart for about a week now, and based on his questions, I have no doubt that he is who he says he is.

--
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ASARIAN

Tuesday, December 19, 2006 4:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lexigeek:

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:

Just because the email address appears legit, don't necessarily mean the caller is. Just sayin', is all.

Agreed, but I've actually been speaking with Det. Stewart for about a week now, and based on his questions, I have no doubt that he is who he says he is.

Yeah. I just don't want some con-artist taking advantage of us fans yet again, collecting credit card/paypal info and such, only to find out that it's happened again.

If I were you, I'd call the Ore. Police Department yourself, and specifically ask for him. Only way to be sure.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

FLATTOP

Tuesday, December 19, 2006 4:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lexigeek:
I have been contacted by Bon Stewart, a detective with the Ashland, Ore. Police Department. He is looking into the Flanvention cancellation as a possible criminal matter. Det. Stewart is trying to compile a list of everyone who lost money to Booster Events. I told him I'm not comfortable providing other people's names, but that I would ask around on his behalf.

If you would like to provide your information to him, his e-mail address (which he has allowed me to share) is bon@ashland.or.us.

Paraphrase of Original post by Asarian:
Just because the email address looks legit doesn't mean he is...

True Dat! And so I started to dig.
The web address is active, and appears legit. So I copied down some information from there (Addresses, zip codes, phone #'s).

Google Earth finds Ashland Oregon easily enough.
The (541) area code is Oregon (according to 6 different web sources ('course they could all reference the same (potentially corrupt) primary source)
All (thus far limited) attempts to look up the Ashland Police come back with the same address and telco number:
(541) 482-5211
So I called directory assistance (541) 555-1212, and requested the Ashland, Oregon Police Department non-emergency number.
(541) 482-5211

If that isn't the correct phone number for the Ashland Police department, someone is going to a lot of trouble to set up a scam.

Of course none of this ensures the email address given is legit.
So I called the Ashland Police number (541) 482-5211 and asked for Detective Stewart. I was transferred by a friendly dispatcher to Detective Stewart's voice mail where I left my contact information and requested a call back.
So far I have NOT confirmed the email address. Detective Stewart does however appear to exist, and also appears to work for the Ashland, Oregon Police Department.

Theoretically 500, maybe 750 people (including vendors) were harmed by the cancellation of FLAN II. I don't see there being a sufficient return on investment for this to be a scam. Unless it's a bogus email address.

I'll post more if/when I hear back from Detective Stewart.

So now the big question is:
Do you trust me?

Do your own research. Follow the steps above. I didn't list many websites I used so that you could use your own. The broader your search base, the less likely it is to be single sourced, therefore the harder to corrupt.
The person initiating contact has the control.

LexiGeek - Good on ya' for not disclosing anyone else's contact information!

And I wasn't even supposed to be at FLAN II, I just like computer/communications security paranoia.

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